Reading lifestyle posts is like a hobby to me. I’m incredibly nosy, so I love browsing other articles about the blogger or their life – it helps me to feel like I know the person behind the words and the photos. There aren’t a whole bunch of ‘tag’ posts on Anika May, but I love writing them and seeing the reaction of readers. It’s nice to know if there are people similar to me or completely different!

#1 I’m obsessed with everything Marvel.

I was never into comic books as a child. Ever. I didn’t know who Captain America was until I accidentally downloaded The Winter Soldier in 2015 and fell into the world of Marvel. I was completely oblivious to The Avengers coming out in 2012 until watching my first Marvel movie. After seeing ScarJo and Mr Evans dominate the screen, I rented all Marvel films from The Incredible Hulk to build up my knowledge and understanding of the cinematic universe. The Winter Soldier literally changed my life. Not only did it encourage my weird devotion to my husband, Chris Evans, but also got me into a whole other world of comic books and characters. I haven’t been to a convention or anything, but I just adore the films. The DC films are also entertaining for me, but I feel like Marvel has a magic touch when it comes to making movies, I could watch Avengers, The Winter Soldier and Civil War every day and be happy.

#2 I’m super into American Football.

I have absolutely no idea how this happened. Like Marvel, it’s not something I grew up with and a world I didn’t know existed until I was in it. In 2014, I watched a video of Tom Brady’s quarterback highlights on YouTube and was incredibly impressed. From that moment the New England Patriots kind of became my team and I have supported them ever since. I also really like the Broncos and the Falcons – it’s a shame not a whole bunch of people in the UK know about the NFL. As a kid, I had family members who liked Manchester United (I’m sorry) and other football teams, but no mention of what goes on across the pond. Nowadays I’m trying to follow every game as the season starts up again. For me, it’s an entertaining sport that brings out my competitive side; plus the Super Bowl is a monumental event with amazing performers! Go Pats!

#3 I aspired to be a fashion designer as a child.

During my younger years, Stardoll was my life. I don’t know if it’s a site that’s still as popular, but it’s still going. When I fell in love with dressing dolls up, I decided I wanted to dress people up too. My mum used to be a fashion designer for brands like Next, Debenhams etc – so I would always watch her sketch wonderful styles and sew all day and night. Sadly, I didn’t pick up the sewing gene but I did get a few drawing skills from her. Designing clothing is still something I do for fun on occasion, and can often find myself doodling outfits on any spare scrap of paper, but in reality, that hectic career is not for me.

#4 I used to publish my own magazine.

Fashion is in my blood, it’s something I will always love, even if I’m not the next Anna Wintour. Between the ages of 8 and 16, I created my own magazine (the name is just too embarrassing to reveal) and would hand it out to my friends at school. I remember doing everything, from the contents page to my own adverts. Microsoft Publisher was my very best friend during those stages, and my mum would be furious after each month passed because I’d print around 20 copies of a 15-page magazine just to give to my friends. Yup. The magazine was very similar to Shout or Mizz (throwback or what?) and I really thought it would become a world-wide phenomenon. Eventually I realised it doesn’t work that way.

#5 I’m terrified of dogs barking.

When I was around seven, I was in a park with my dad and younger sister, who would have been about three years old and still in a pushchair. We were casually walking through a large park in Leeds, and I spotted three Rottweiler dogs jumping up at a tree and barking at their owner – who was only controlling the fully-grown dogs with a small stick. I don’t know what triggered it, but the dogs just came for me and my instinct was to run (the complete opposite of what you’re supposed to do). The chased me, while barking and eventually caught up, biting and clawing at me until my dad reach me and pulled them off me. Since that day, dogs barking always makes me jump, even if I’m familiar/friendly with the dog! Needles have terrified me since that rabies shot too.

#6 I got lost in Buckingham Palace.

Way back when, during the solid years of 2005, I went on a tour of Buckingham Palace and ended up in a random room full of paintings and a whole wing away from my mum and sister. We visited the London landmark for fun and managed to get tickets on a unique tour on some of the more intimate rooms of the palace. Somehow, Little Miss Daydream here, managed to get lost from the group, so I tried to find them myself. I specifically remember climbing under velvet rope and thinking it was a good idea – it wasn’t. The tour guide eventually found me before any guards did, and tried her very hardest to try not to strangle me on the spot. I’d entered a restricted area of the palace… oops.

#7 I don’t have a middle name.

I feel like middle names are a fact you know about someone when you really know them (or if you’re evil and want to use it against them one day). Well, I don’t have one! and that’s it. My mum and dad didn’t think I needed one and liked the idea of a first and last name. My siblings don’t have middle names either, that seems to be the running theme in our little family. It’s not something I’ve ever been upset about because it’s something I never had! What’s your middle name?

#8 Anika May was not my first blog.

I guess blogging is something I’ve always wanted to do without actually knowing. My first blog was called On The Hunt and was this embarrassing domain my dad helped me set up. It was basically a space for me to complain about anything and everything, but then Twitter came along and I could do that multiple times a day. My second blog was called Mannequin Mode and I actually had it for more than a year. It was through a website called blog.com (which just vanished one day) and I went all out with blog posts. I tried to post every day, even creating a Tumblr account, in the hopes of becoming the next Lauren Conrad and interning for Teen Vogue.

#9 The Sims used to be everything to me.

I’m hoping I’m not alone here, but I loved The Sims. From The Sims, to The Sims 2, to The Sims 3 – I loved them all. I still have a box under my bed full of expansion packs for each series. I haven’t bought The Sims 4, simply because I wouldn’t have enough time to play it and lost interest as I got older. I still think the game is legendary, you could live basically any life you wanted: a mermaid, a vampire, a celebrity or a housewife. There were no limits with the game and I think that’s what made it so fun. Of course, I played with cheats to speed a few things up, but still loved the whole creating process, and spending two days building the dream family and house before getting bored and starting again!

#10 Reality TV is my weakness.

In my life, there’s not a lot of drama. There isn’t really anything going on that’s a cause for concern, and my friends are all pretty chill so we never really argue over much. However, reality TV is a completely different ball game. The obviously scripted and totally fake shows are my favourite: Love & Hip Hop (all versions), The Bachelor/Bachelorette, The Real Housewives, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and so on. They’re total trash TV, scraping the barrel level, but I love it! It’s hilariously entertaining to me, especially the clearly scripted parts. Plus a little window into the lives of other people’s lives satisfies the nosey side of me.